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Passenger comfort

Passenger comfort

Submitted by pat777campbell on Fri, 2020-01-03 09:56

Learning to drive in the early 1960's we were given a simple tool to increase the smoothness of our drive for the comfort of our passengers. It was a simple glass of water placed on the dashboard behind the steering wheel. You learned real quick to shift, accelerate, turn, and brake in a way to keep that water on the dash and not on your crotch. Unfortunately, the Tesla software does not emulate this smooth driving experience. Seemingly, software updates bring on roughness. It is especially alarming for passengers when braking for traffic seems to wait until the last minute. This is something older drivers have learned not to do … so we take over or disable this feature before our wives scream. I understand our spawn grew up playing fast and furious video games and some of those drive that way without Tesla's help. So … please have a Senior or Passenger Comfort stopping, turning, and acceleration mode. Maybe calibrate an accelerometer to emulate that glass of water and make a lot of us happier. Thanks,
Pat Vancouver, WA

andy.connor.e |
3 January 2020

Are you referring to using autopilot in traffic or something? If not, driving behaviors are learned and it takes time to adapt to a different vehicle.

Xerogas |
3 January 2020

OP is referring to autopilot

andy.connor.e |
3 January 2020

Does putting the car into "chill mode" affect autopilot as well?

TeslaTap.com |
3 January 2020

@pat777campbell - Tesla already has a control to adjust the following distance. If you set it at "1" it will brake harder as the following distance is closer. Set it to "7" if you want less abrupt braking - similar to how people drive manually. Nothing new needed. Chill mode as andy suggests is a good option too.

kaffine |
3 January 2020

TeslaTap.com

Last I played with following distance it didn't really change the abruptness of the braking and acceleration just how close to the car in front of me it did it.

I will agree it is a bit abrupt on speed changes while using AP functions. I notice more if I am in the passenger seat then that driver seat as I am paying more attention in the driver seat and am expecting the change. I am one of those that learned to drive playing video games with all accelerator or no accelerator and all brake or no brake.

This is a work in progress it will take some time before they get it perfected. Right now they are playing it cautious so it brakes harder when a car gets closer than the following distance. A human driver is more likely to just let up on the accelerator a little bit to increase the distance and not use the brake.

TeslaTap.com |
3 January 2020

I haven't notice braking abruptness, but it may also be the traffic I'm in. If you're in a lot of speed up/slam brakes kind of traffic, my guess is AP also reacts to those events more abruptly. You're right that the driver doesn't notice it as much as passengers. I'm about 90% in the car by myself. I'm sure Tesla's implementation will get better too. I've never used Try Chill mode but I don't know if it affects AP operation at all.

BadgerErickson |
3 January 2020

A glass of dash water with 60s carburetors? Come on.

michelrozon |
4 January 2020

Yep, it's possible!

rxlawdude |
4 January 2020

With too much acceleration, OP's idea would wet one's whistle.

Yodrak. |
5 January 2020

I drive in chill mode, and have used various 'following distance' settings, with no noticeable effect on the abrupt stopping when using the traffic-aware cruise control. Both my wife and my teenage son complain when I use traffic-aware cruise control, it gives both of them car sickness when traffic slows as cars ahead slow down to turn or a car pulls into the traffic. Chill mode provides easier acceleration, but not easier braking.

BadgerErickson |
5 January 2020

Of course it IS POSSIBLE to put a glass of water on the dash of ANY car.

Our carbuerated cars/trucks with drum brakes and no power steering would dump every ounce out.

NEVER heard of this as a metric for teaching ANYbody how to drive.

If you need a glass of water to stay on the dash, above the steering wheel, don't leave the driveway and buy a different car.

nukequazar |
5 January 2020

"TeslaTap.com | January 3, 2020
I haven't notice braking abruptness"

I'm starting to doubt that you own a Tesla or have ever driven in one with AutoPilot. Or maybe you are not a very goos driver and are not sensitive to bad driving and so you don't notice the jerkiness and abruptness of Tesla AP steering and braking any different than your own.

Every single time I drive with AP on, I have moments of frustration with how jerky the lane changes are, and how abrupt and uncomfortable the stops are. Frankly it gets embarrassing with passengers in the car; sometimes I say, "That wasn't me!" I just keep hoping it improves but actually the recent updates to lane change aggressiveness have only made it worse for me. Also frustrating how poor the lane guidance is, not starting to steer until the car hits a curve, and then hanging on the outside instead of moving to the inside of the curve. Tesla AP fails good driving 101 every time in these aspects. It does stop before hitting the car in front of it, and it does not change lanes into another car so that's good.

I was taught by very good, smooth drivers, and I pride myself on the same. Just hoping that AP gets there sooner than later.

nukequazar |
5 January 2020

@pat777campbell, the glass of water criteria is awesome! Never heard of it. I'll try it some time in both my manual ICEV and Model S, just not with AP on!

jimglas |
5 January 2020

I want the glass of water splashed over the back window

TeslaTap.com |
5 January 2020

@nuke - I wrote an entire book on the Model S - so yes, I've owned two now. Current S has AP2 and FSD, but HW2.0, so no HW3 processor yet. I don't have any of the problems you seem to have. Are you using AP1 or year-old software? AP1 is clearly is not as good as AP2 now. Lane changes a silky smooth now, where about 6 months ago they were a bit slow. Never had it jerky except once when I turned off the blinked too soon and the car popped back into the original lane. I don't use Chill and have a following distance of 5 or so. Hard to compare traffic, Bay area can be bad, but perhaps not as bad as LA. When coming to a stop due to traffic, it's also fairly smooth, but not perfect yet. I can modulate a touch better. Passengers do not know if it's AP or me, and no complaints either way.

Now if the hardware and software are about the same, then perhaps something is wrong with your car. I do the normal maintenance, perhaps more than most. I know some just ride a vehicle until it dies.

NKYTA |
5 January 2020

@nuke is an idiot.

nukequazar |
6 January 2020

@NKYTA is a jerk who gives Tesla owners a very bad name.

nukequazar |
6 January 2020

@TT, not sure what’s going on but maybe you don’t drive a lot or don’t drive in traffic. Only the known fanboys here or people in the Midwest report that AP is smooth and not problematic. I have HW 2.5 and the latest software. I’d be happy to take you for a drive in my car in LA.

TeslaTap.com |
6 January 2020

@Darth - I drive my share of heavy traffic, but clearly my driving area is different. Next time I'm in LA we should get together and compare cars! Sounds like cars are acting differently. Two other locals I drive with on occasion with different Teslas have never reported the problems you're having with AP2. I expect the issues are real but it seems few have them. None of the major magazine reviewers point out a problems as you describe, and I'd expect their critical nature would have brought it to light.

jimglas |
6 January 2020

Nuke is a FUD troll
I used NoAP for 3 hours today (through construction zones) without issue

nukequazar |
6 January 2020

“jimglas | January 5, 2020
I want the glass of water splashed over the back window”

Because you’re a Neanderthal who’s excited by a few seconds of gravity.

jimglas |
6 January 2020

Very true
And what’s wrong with that?
YOLO

thranx |
7 January 2020

Bottle of Tesla Water is $9.95 in the company shop.
Heavy on the electrolytes.